Me, My Brother, and MG - a Column by Allen Francis

I was shocked when I learned recently that my twin brother, Aaron, had suddenly become lactose intolerant at age 50. He was diagnosed after becoming violently ill from adding cheese to a beef empanada. It was quite a blow to him. As New Yorkers, we grew up on milk and…

As I chatted recently with my twin brother, Aaron, on a video call, I noticed he was sipping a smoothie. This was very odd to me. Aaron is a serious fitness nut, and before he developed myasthenia gravis (MG), he was always exercising. But…

I noticed during my most recent video call with my twin brother, Aaron, that he was sorting through a pile of his old-school CDs and cassettes. I teased him about listening to outdated tech. “The cassette player died years ago,” he said. He was checking song titles to see if…

Note: This column describes the author’s brother’s experiences with Soliris. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. I had promised to video call my twin brother, Aaron, as he received a Soliris (eculizumab) infusion, but I felt a…

I had just started a video call with my twin brother, Aaron. I live in Manila, Philippines, and he still resides in our hometown of New York City. It felt good to see him. I was pleased to see that the strabismus surgery he underwent to correct…

My twin brother, Aaron, and I are getting older and looking for ways to make our daily lives more convenient. I didn’t see him turning to an electric scrub brush to make washing dishes easier, however. I called him the other day and watched him using one, a small appliance…

As I enter my 50s, I find myself living alone as an expatriate in Asia, and I constantly worry about accidentally injuring myself. I’m particularly concerned about slipping and falling. I’ve realized that as we age, it’s essential to prioritize safety. Recently, I had a conversation with my twin brother,…

I don’t enjoy going outside now as much as I did in my youth. I’m a homebody and I like it. This transition made me think of my twin, Aaron, who has myasthenia gravis (MG). Before MG, Aaron was a manual laborer who was very sociable and…

I’m a New York City native now living in Manila, Philippines. I enjoy living here, but the infrastructure is lacking, and the streets aren’t always physically safe. Once I went on a long-distance walk and badly twisted my ankle. It took about two weeks before I could comfortably walk on…

I’ve heard that as we age, we shouldn’t focus on the loss of youth but instead on the acceptance of new chapters. Frankly, it’s hard for me to agree with that because I’m having trouble coping with aging right now. I’ll be 50 in a few days, and it’s bumming…